You are the books you read.
This collection of words inspires me.
“You are the books you read, the films you watch, the music you listen to,
the people you meet, the dreams you have, the conversations you engage in.
You are what you take from these.
You are the sound of the ocean, the breath of fresh air, the brightest light and the darkest corner.
You are a collective of every experience you have had in your life.
You are every single second of every single day.
So drown yourself in a sea of knowledge and existence.
Let the words run through your veins and let the colors fill your mind until there is nothing left to do but explode.
There are no wrong answers.
Inspiration is everything.
Sit back, relax, and take it all in.
Now, go out and create something.” ― Jac Vanek.
Are you inspired? XO
DIY Journaling Cards | See beyond your floor and garden wall.
Hello Tuesday!
Over the past couple of weeks I have been putting in a big effort creatively in an attempt to get caught up with my 2014 Project Life journey. I’m a bit of a procrastinator but once I made a plan and actually started I gained momentum pretty quickly. Now I feel like I have my Creative Mojo back. The more I do the more inspired I become. I see this inspiration all around me. Even in my own home and backyard.
This week on Pinterest.
Hello Tuesday! (just…)
Are you on Pinterest? I am (you can join me HERE) and find it a wonderful source for inspiration. Most of my ‘research’ takes place at night while I’m in bed or while I’m waiting for the kids to come out of school.
Here are some Pinterest pics that have inspired me, or just made me smile, over the last couple of days.
Night, night. xxx
Creative Team | Mothers Day card using the XO mini kit.
Hello Tuesday!
Pinch and a punch all! Kids had a ball this morning. They had an array of April Fools jokes that they played on me. Some I saw coming, one I didn’t. Ha!
On the blog today is Ellie. She is eking out the products in her XO mini kit (I still have a few left. They are now only $12!). Here is a beautiful Mothers’ Day card. Talk about organised! Enjoy xxx
Hi it’s Ellie here and today I’m sharing a Mother’s Day card I made using the gorgeous hand painted xo card from the XO mini kit by Polka Dot Creative.
Start making this card by using the Studio Calico chevron stencil & misting with Mister Huey’s Seafoam on a white Project Life card. I also used a foam dauber to blend the mist over the stencil.
Then ink the edges of the xo card and your misted 4×6 using the dauber you just blended with.
Once dry, adhere the 4×6 card to a card base. Adhere a medium sized doily to the card and fold over the back or trim.
Then hand cut a heart from Maggie Holmes Gold Vellum Doily.
Adhere a small doily to the front on the xo card and then the gold heart. Add your sentiment to the heart and using a sewing machine very slowly stitch sentiment strips, heart and edge of xoxo card. Then adhere this to your card base.
Taking Fab Rips from Studio Calico (on sale at PDC) cut a thin strip and fish tail the end. Adhere to card. Place a brad or button near the fish tail end. Use some Dear Lizzy 5th Avenue trim (also on sale at PDC). Add a few sequins for a bit of sparkle.
It’s so nice to receive a handmade card, so why not make one for someone special.
The mini kits at Polka Dot Creative are not only perfect for your layouts, but are great for cards too!
Check out my blog, My Little Bunny Cupcake, for more cards and fun.
Till next time, Ellie xxx
Thank you Ellie and thank YOU for popping in. I hope you have a great day! xxx
#100HAPPYDAYS.
Hello Monday!
I found this empowering quote on Pinterest last night. As journalist of our lives this is a wonderful ‘kick start’ to our Monday and our week as a whole.
Another inspiring thing that I found while I was catching up on the A Beautiful Mess blog yesterday was this project.
I like this concept. I like that it helps us to slow down for a second in our busy lives and embrace one happy moment each day. One moment that makes us laugh, smile, feel good. Whether it be colour, a smell, a friend, music, our children, our family, our pets, our work, our hobbies, the weather, ANYTHING! All we have to do is CAPTURE IT and, more importantly, APPRECIATE IT.
If we choose to we can pop the photos on our favourite social media sites whether that be Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter and hashtag #100happydays. You all know I LOVE Instagram.
You can find more about it HERE.
What to do with the photos? Well…
…I’ve been inspired by Kellie over at Give a Girl a Blog lately (well, always) with her Project “My” Life album. I’ve been wanting to start something similar. Then I saw the #100happydays concept today and boom. Here we go! I’ve got a little SN@P! leather album floating around here. It’s going to be a very plain and simple. Just the photos and a bit of journaling about why the capture makes me happy.
Join in. It’s going to be fun.
Now go be that explorer! xxx
Tutorial Video | Artsy backgrounds with Sandra Bunch.
Hello Creative Team Tuesday!
This year I have decided to incorporate more of my art into my Project Life album like brush script. I like the idea of my 2014 album looking like an art journal. Using more scraps, bringing in textures, and experimenting with new techniques. I want to get more CREATIVE!
That is why I think this tutorial is perfect. Sandra honey – you and I are on the same wave length 🙂
Next on my list to incorporate into my album is WATERCOLOUR!
You are going to LOVE this video tutorial by Sandra. xxx
Hi everyone!
It’s Sandra here, and I am so happy to be sharing some artsy love this week.
I went to weekly art lessons as an early teen, and in hindsight I wish I never gave it up to “concentrate on my studies”. Given that I’ve never used any of the science stuff from high school, I really really should have recognised my heart lies in art. So this week I share some super easy techniques to add a more personalised touch on your pages by creating your own backgrounds, titles, cards, you name it! I use a mix of things you likely have in your stash already – glue, mists and watercolour paints. Mixing watercolour pencils with water on a palette would create similar results, and watered down acrylic paints will produce a unique twist too!
Some of these techniques are so easy that they’re perfect to get the kids involved. As you’ll see, my daughter had no trouble taking over both my craft studio, and hosting this tutorial! {And no, she didn’t need any “takes” or prompts, she just went for it!} 🙂
Watercolouring and this type of marbling can produce lovely soft results or you can go as bright and artsy as you like… the variations are endless, and limited only by your imagination {and we all know there’s no limits there, right?!}. Enjoy playing and exploring your own unique gifts 🙂
And please share with us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. @polkadotcreative #polkadotcreative
Love, light and lollies 😉
Sandra
Artsy Backgrounds with Sandra Bunch from Polka Dot Creative on Vimeo.
Thank you Sandra! See. Inspiring right!??!!!
Feel free to leave any comments or asks any questions here. Sandra and I are at the ready to help.
You can check out more of what Sandra is up to on her beautiful blog, The Crafty Bunch.
If you are after some Mister Huey’s to try out these techniques I have some in my store. You can find them here. I have quite a lot of them on sale at the moment so if you are just starting out the on sale misters will help make your experimenting more affordable.
Hope you’re having a fabulous Tuesday! xxx
Creative Team | Ellie and XO.
Hello Monday!
It’s the beginning of the week. A fresh start. Hit the ground running people. It’s the only way. x
Today Ellie pops in with an extra piece of inspiration for you using the Polka Dot Creative mini kit called “XO”.
Hi PDC family,
It’s Ellie here and today I’m sharing a wedding card I made using the fabulous ‘&’ symbol card from the “XO” mini kit.
Start making this card by stitching the ‘&’ symbol on the card. Then ink the edges of the tag. Taking some Dear Lizzy 5th and Frolic triangle paper called 6th and Maple (currently on sale here) cut it to fit the front of a standard size card. Do not adhere yet. Distress the edges then ink with yellow.
Then cut a section of a gold doily from Maggie Holmes gold vellum doily.
Stack the 6th and Maple triangle paper, a doily, the tag, and then tuck the piece of gold doily between the doily and tag so you can see it. Adhere these together but not to the card base. This is so the back of your stitching can’t be seen. Taking the Amy Tangerine alphabet stitching template mark your letters one at a time. I found it easier to do one letter at a time for alignment purposes. After I stitching all the letters, adhere the layers to the card base. Using the Dear Lizzy Polka Dot Party stickers arrange them on the card as desired. Use foam dots behind some of the hearts for dimension. Use some Dear Lizzy Neapolitan ribbon currently on sale at 50% off here. Add a few sequins for a bit of sparkle. Punch a butterfly out of some of the vellum and adhere to card. Use some bakers twine tie to the top of the card and you have finished.
I hope you enjoy making something fun like a card, with any one of the gorgeous kits available at Polka Dot Creative.
Create and enjoy and remember to have fun!
Till next time, Ellie x
Creative Team | How to use your Silhouette by Petra.
Hello Tuesday!
(Just…)
We have had a lot going on around here. Good. Bad. Great. A short hospital stay with one and antibiotics for another. If there are any mums reading this you’d all be like…”Yep. Ah ha! I hear you. Now get on with it honey.” And that is exactly what I’m doing. 😉
I am proud to share with you a fantastic video from our Creative Team Tutorial Writer Petra Corcoran. The video and this girls ‘can do’ attitude has inspired me to use and love my Silhouette Cameo.
Our Polka Dot Creative Team member Petra talks us through the basic ‘how to’ of this fabulous machine.
PDC Silhouette video – Petra Feb 2014 from Polka Dot Creative on Vimeo.
Now go out and do it world!!! I know I am!
Thank you Petra honey. Love you. xxx
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